This one-day educational competition for high school students is designed to test their knowledge, skills and problem solving capabilities regarding our earth’s natural resources. Canaan Christian Academy, Delaware Valley, Honesdale, Wallenpaupack, and Western Wayne High Schools will compete in the 2013 Envirothon which will be held May 7 at the PPL Environmental Learning Center in Hawley.

These students join hundreds of teens from across the state, preparing to take part in county Envirothon competitions leading up to the 2013 Pennsylvania State Envirothon. They have prepared by using field guides to identify a bird’s song and different tree species; by rubbing dampened soil between their fingers to determine its texture and consulting a soil survey for potential land uses; by identifying aquatic macroinvertibrates to determine the quality of a stream; and studying the management of forage resources as a component to a successful grazing program as part of this year’s current issue “Grazing Lands and Pasture Management.”

Five-member teams compete by applying their knowledge and problem-solving skills in subject areas that include: Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils/Land Use, Wildlife, and Current Issue. The Pike and Wayne county winning teams advance to the Pennsylvania Envirothon scheduled for May 21 and 22 at Juniata College in Huntingdon.

The winning team at the state event will represent Pennsylvania at the 2013 North American Envirothon, North America’s largest environmental competition, which will take place Aug. 4-10, Montana State University in Bozeman.

Each year County Conservation Districts and State Envirothon Coordinators partner with the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resource Bureaus of Forestry and State Parks, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to bring this event to each county and then the state event. These committed partners provide educational reference materials for high school teams as well as technical expertise, knowledge, and manpower at the event.

The Pike/Wayne Envirothon is coordinated by the Pike and Wayne County Conservation Districts. To find out more about the Envirothon please contact the Pike County Conservation District office at 226-8220 or the Wayne Conservation District at 253-0930.